Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is slated to speak at a high-profile Republican conference with 2012 implications.

Washington (CNN) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is slated to speak at a high-profile Republican conference with 2012 implications, organizers announced Monday.

The Southern Republican Leadership Conference announced Monday morning that Gingrich will address the event, which takes place April 8-11 in New Orleans. The conference is a major gathering of Republican candidates, donors and activists from 14 Southern states.

The SRLC announced last week that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, another possible contender for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, would speak at the event. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, also considered a potential White House hopeful, will also speak at SRLC, a source close to Pawlenty confirms to CNN. A senior adviser to Mitt Romney, a 2008 Republican presidential candidate who may make another run in 2012, tells CNN that the former Massachusetts governor will not attend the conference.

Political watchers will be paying close attention to the SRLC conference, and not just because several potential presidential candidates are expected to attend. The SRLC - "the most prominent Republican event outside of a Republican National Convention," the organization boasts - also conducts a presidential straw poll.

The straw poll has had a mixed record of predicting future electoral success. George W. Bush, who was then governor of Texas, won the poll in 1998, two years before his presidential bid. But former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist took first place at the 2006 conference, which was held in his home state of Tennessee. Frist never mounted a presidential bid.

"Newt Gingrich's leadership and vision have been a critical part of Republican victories over the past 20 years and we're excited to have him at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference," said Charlie Davis, SRLC Director, in a statement released Monday. "Newt continues to have a profound effect on the direction of our nation."

Gingrich also recently filed government paperwork to form a political action committee, named American Solutions PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records. The forming of a political action committee will allow Gingrich to raise cash and donate the money to federal and state candidates across the country. It could also be a sign that Gingrich is serious about running for the White House in 2012.

American Solutions is also the name of Gringrich's political organization, which is incorporated as a 527 group, and is not subject to the same contribution limits as political action committees. Unlike PACs, 527s can also directly accept funds from corporations but are barred from directly contributing to a candidate or financing a potential White House bid.

soundoff(48 Responses)

Todd

Are they drawing up articles of secession? Can we hope? If the seceed we can treat them all the other thrid word plutocracies, send in the Peace Corps, teach them about American democracy and values, and help them move into the modern world.

January 11, 2010 11:16 am at 11:16 am |

Liberal wingnut

Gingrich was the one you can thank for the budget surplus during the Clinton Administration.

Bring Gingrich back he's need more than ever!

January 11, 2010 11:19 am at 11:19 am |

PREDICTA

Newt is going to make a great president as Obama's policies continue to resonate with the public and his support continues to drop.

January 11, 2010 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

Lisa in FL

Oh Goody. Now we will find out what "God's plan" is.

January 11, 2010 11:23 am at 11:23 am |

Bugl3t

I just can't get over how Palin could be a candidate for ANYTHING. I mean, she QUIT less than halfway through her only term as governor of Alaska... she's a QUITTER.

When the going gets tough... she just quits. Or makes up some lie to change the subject.

Pathetic. At least Newt Gingrich has what it takes to run for any office, meaning a brain, some real experience and the ability to string 3 or 4 words together in a coherent sentence.

January 11, 2010 11:23 am at 11:23 am |

Ted from Calif.

What is this all about? Is it the blind leading the fools or the fools leading the blind?

The republican brand needs major rehabilitation because nobody is buying it anymore!

January 11, 2010 11:24 am at 11:24 am |

Gary

It looks like we're going to have some more good 'ol boys of the GOP talking up big again.

January 11, 2010 11:27 am at 11:27 am |

If you want something ruined, put a republican in charge

Newt needs to get his message out that he will not follow the Bill of Rights or the Constitution if he is elected. Those guarantees of our rights should only apply only to a select few.

January 11, 2010 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA

I'm not a republican and will never be one. But if I had to choose amongst the list of bums in this article, Mitt will be my choice.

January 11, 2010 11:32 am at 11:32 am |

Retired US Army Officer-Kansas

Some how looking back at the history of the Rebulican Party and the History of America, I have a real difficulty with the phase Southern Republican. The name has changed, but the platform has not.

January 11, 2010 11:33 am at 11:33 am |

mike

hey look it is the conference of the races I bet at this meeting it is
not what we can do for the american people but how much more can we
fool them into believing that we are good for the country the party
of just say no has not done anything at all but cry on fox

January 11, 2010 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Newt Gingrich is slated to speak at a high-profile Republican conference with 2012 implications...

-------------------------------–

Am I the only one that found the phrasing of this sentence less than desirable? ! "2012 implications"????

Implication # 2000: He had no where better to be, nothing better to do.
Implication # 1879: It's really a secret meeting on RethugliKlan healthcare reform.
And so on, and so on....

Maybe it's just me!! hahaha!

January 11, 2010 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

cfrench

Gingrich and Palin? Can't the republicans come up with any fresh faces? Palin is an imbecile and Gingrich has so many skeletons in his closet I'm amazed he'd even consider running. And not only that, Gingrich's obsession with Clinton's sexual exploits is the reason the republican's lost control of Congress. I mean come on, Gingrich was literally run out of town on a rail by his own people!

I don't thing the democrats have anything to wory about in 2012.

January 11, 2010 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

Great American

The only place racism still exists with no shame, is the democratic party! and the black caucus still sucks up to them. SHAME ON THEM!

January 11, 2010 11:36 am at 11:36 am |

Claudia, Houston, Tx

Newt previously said Palin needs to "study, study, study", haven't seen any proof of that happening and probably never will because that's not her DNA. But the least Palin could do is learn to speak proper English as well as learn how to make a simple sentences that makes sense.

January 11, 2010 11:39 am at 11:39 am |

Fair is Fair

I would love to see Gingrich debate Obama. Newt would destroy him.

January 11, 2010 11:41 am at 11:41 am |

Republicans are the American Taliban

Gosh CNN I guess there is nothing happening today in politics today,that you have to report what these tired racist losers are going to be doing four months from now?

January 11, 2010 11:42 am at 11:42 am |

DALE

For extra spending money I guess I could sell sheets at the door.

January 11, 2010 11:44 am at 11:44 am |

james Miller

He`s hopeing to be in the straw pole for Pres. `12.

January 11, 2010 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

A proud moderate independent

So, what's the news in this?

January 11, 2010 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

Henry Miller, Libertarian

Maybe Newt can get the neo-con idiots to quit thumping their bibles, sticking their noses into people's private affairs, rattling their sabres, and go back to being real conservatives.

January 11, 2010 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

Palin/Bachmann 2012

Gingrich isn't a true conservative! He is just another RINO, ignore him!

January 11, 2010 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

Larry

Perhaps this often-married GOPer can run on the "family values" ticket with giuliani, rove, barber, sandford and the rest of these snake oil salesman.

January 11, 2010 11:50 am at 11:50 am |

Jane/Seattle

This guy is just another old time hack trying to get reinvented! It proves that if one waits long enough, the public will forget just how big a jerk you are! Just look at the last 8 years of Hitler incarnated! And the Death goes on....

January 11, 2010 11:50 am at 11:50 am |

George

So???????????? Again is this really news? People speak at eventsall the time??????????